Over the past few years, I’ve done a lot of thinking about this topic of women playing big.
Lately, it feels to me like much of the matter comes down to this: are we letting the light out?
Are we letting out the light that is within us?
Are we allowing it to stream forth?
Are we clearing the obstacles that have accumulated around us, so that the light can reach far?
Your gifts are magnificent, and they are yours and yours alone, but they don’t have feet.
What I mean by that is this: your gifts – whether your gifts for painting or communicating or loving little ones – are almost otherworldly. They can’t do of-this-world things like blocking and tackling and navigating and figuring out how to get expressed in the world. Your gifts will never try to fight their way into the marketplace. They won’t plot strategy for how they’ll be expressed. It’s simply not their nature.
And yet, the soul hungers to see its gifts expressed, unfurled. And so the soul makes an invitation to another part of you – the part that thinks, and strategizes, and reads context, and maneuvers. The worldly part. The part that understands dynamics of power. The can-do part, the handyman part.
The soul invites that part to become a partner in getting your light, your gifts, out into the world. Say yes and then it is your job to bring the muscle, the thought, the know-how to help your gifts find their way.
You are the parent, your gift is the child. You are the agent, your gift is the talent. You are the advocate; your gift is a client who very much needs your help.
The gift is delicate, and you are hearty. The gift is the beam, and you help it find contexts to shine.
You bring your mind, your muscle, and your comfort with power to this task. Yes, there is no letting your light out into the world unless you are cool with power. Because your gifts are where your greatest power lies.
For women, this inner partnership – between our otherworldly gifts and our worldly, savvy selves – is particularly animating, because we have for so long been asked to deny that muscling, maneuvering, stewarding part of us. When we reclaim that part – not un-tethered but as the steward of our gifts and our service, we come into wholeness.
We stand with both feet planted. The light and its steward, the gold and her guard. Both are present: the gifts that hail from another realm and the part of us that knows there is urgent work to do, here, in this one.
How will you say yes to that partnership between your gifts and the part of you that can help them get expressed in the world? What stands in your way of getting the light out? How are you getting the light out now? Tell us in the comments.
Love,
Tara
Want to start walking that journey of bringing your gifts out into the world more fully? We make all this practical in my Playing Big program, which opens up for registration soon. Click here to get details + access to early bird discounts.
As a result of Playing Big, I am telling my story fully and seeing this show up in unexpected and powerful ways, personally, professionally, and in my writing. My voice is becoming bolder because I am not hiding part of my story. – Past Playing Big Participant
As a result of Playing Big, I created and am teaching a course that is built around sharing what I know/the wisdom I’ve acquired. Before Playing Big, I don’t think I would have had the confidence to think that what I already know, what I bring just by entering the space, would be enough. Now I see how much value I bring. – Past Playing Big Participant
I love this post! It is so helpful to me and clarifies the work I’m doing right now! I am so thankful for your insights!
Best to you,
Kathleen
Directly because of this post, I sat myself down and drafted a get-the-word-out email about my new business to all of my friends, near and far. And it’s not even 10 A.M. yet on a Saturday. Thank you!
As a single-mom of two teens girls aged 13 & 16, working as M.A. for two L.Ac., I can totally relate to what you wrote. I believe what integrate the two parts is my Spirituality, means being a Christian woman of God’s Shalon peace and Faith through Jesus Christ interweave my daily life weather at work or after work with my girls to be one, the Abundant life promised for me in Jesus Christ, and that perspective beings true and eternal meaning and worth for everything I do here on earth,Indeed, Jesus is the Light of the world and He puts the True light into our life as we receive it, so we live out the light within us through His Holy Spirit. I don’t know if you believe in Jesus, but that faith in Him, makes sense with everything I experience in this life journey weather in the past, in the present, in the future or in the ultimate Eternalty.
Hmmm…my gift is my client. I actually took on my first real life, beta client today and we’re starting work in April. If I keep this philosophy in mind I think I can stay on track to getting that light out in hands-on applications and situations. Looks like I was a few steps ahead of myself.
However, I would say the main thing that has been stifling my light is the trauma of my past and subsequent mental conditions that trauma has caused. It knocks me down so much some days, but I’m working hard to heal from it and live in my purpose.
Keep going for it, June!
A gorgeous and encouraging post, thank you Tara.
Super post Tara, reminded me how important it is to bring our gifts to the world, Thank You : ) x
Networking-that would be it. Sometimes the light can’t be seen in the box.,if our organization can’t see that well in me even if I gave my best then there are others offering greener pastures I just have to look at all the opportunity-this could be anywhere!.yep, just make myself “marketable”..thanks for affirming my plans Tara. God bless you, 🙂
What a great way to say something we know yet struggle to put into ACTION. Thank you! I am sensing this growing upsurge of confidence around my ability to ‘Be cool with Power’ as you so deliciously put it – the older I get and the less I attach my ego to the results. Rather focusing on what I can give – not get, from any interaction.
Yours is one of only 3 newsletters I read these days. Keep it coming : )
I think sometimes, we can wait for permission from others, from ourselves, to take the lead and shine. Other times, we can aim high, try something challenging, encounter rejection and then be wary to try again. I think a big part of our ability to play big, aim high and let our light shine, is our resilience and passion.
Thanks for reminding us Tara!
This is truly a profound post Tara. Just re-read the post a second time and the message resonates so completely. It feels like this flipped a switch for me. I spend two decades pushing uphill, or shall I say LEANING IN to”worldly” orbits. Investment banking and hedge fund trading nearing did me in. I enthusiastically ran to work in non-profits, running a museum in LA, and was profoundly disappointed to learn how top-end philanthropy really works. Exhausted and heartbroken I retreated into the “other worldly” realm for the last two years and poured myself into writing. I love living in my cocoon away from on the hustle and disappointments. Yet, just recently the TV show I wrote has landed at a top Hollywood agency and is gaining traction! I have been getting nervous about what happens if my dream of selling a TV show comes true and I have to re-enter the worldly. Your post helped me understand the need for both. A sincere thank you Tara.